Ancient royal hunting forest
We're working with world-leading tree and soil experts to create a living laboratory to help us understand the pressures on the landscape.
Hatfield Forest is the best surviving example in Britain of an almost complete Royal Hunting Forest. It has seen many owners, from Kings to commoners. No other Forest on earth evokes the atmosphere of a medieval hunting Forest so completely.
Hatfield Forest is a managed landscape, which has been created by centuries of human intervention. The traditional woodland management techniques of coppicing, pollarding and grazing are continued today. It is home to over 3,500 species of wildlife, some of which are rare and threatened. The ancient trees, some over 1000 years old, provide the perfect habitat for some of the Forest's rarest insects, lichens and fungi.
Whether you want somewhere for the children to run off energy or a place for quiet reflection, you will find your own special place in Hatfield Forest.
In the winter, to reduce damage to the Forest, car parking is limited to the hard standing area only. The car parks will be closed when they reach capacity.
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Car | N/A | £6.00 |
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Minibus | N/A | £8.00 |
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Coaches | N/A | £25.00 |
Most of our places run the Gift Aid on Entry scheme at their admission points. Under this scheme, if you're not a member you have the choice of two entry tickets:
If the place runs Gift Aid on Entry, we'll offer you the Gift Aid Admission prices. But it's entirely up to you which ticket you choose. If you want the Standard Admission instead, just let us know when you come to pay.
Gift Aid Admission includes a 10 per cent or more voluntary donation. Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid* — an extra 25 per cent — potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
An extra £1 paid under the scheme can be worth over £3 to the National Trust as shown below: Payment of the additional percentage donation is entirely voluntary, so if you prefer to pay the standard admission please advise our reception staff at the till point.
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount paid by visitor | £11.00 | £10.00 |
| Tax refund from Government* | £2.75 | £0.00 |
| Total received by the National Trust | £13.75 | £10.00 |
*Gift Aid donations must be supported by a valid Gift Aid declaration and a Gift Aid declaration can only cover donations made by an individual for him/herself or for him/herself and members of his/her family.
National Trust members park for free.
Car Parking: cars £6, minibuses £8, coaches £25, please pay at kiosk or pay and display machine.
After 5pm in Summer and 3:30pm in Winter, car parking is £2 in the entrance car park.
